|
|
| Latest News Calling All SID Retired Pastors, Teachers, & Church Workers
On Thursday, 16 September 2010, all Retired LCMS Pastors, Teachers, and Church Workers of the Southern Illinois District are invited to meet for dinner and for fellowship at the Roland Barkau Memorial Golf Course and Country Club in Okawville, IL on 1500 N. Waterworks Rd. Okawville, IL. We plan to meet at the country club 'Banquet Room' about 11:00 a.m., have lunch at 11:30 a.m. and visit & share until about 2:00 pm with old and new friends about some of our activities and trips taken this last year. Please contact Rev. C. F. Campbell at (618) 826-3605, as soon as possible, with your reservation. The 'count' for the meal has be turned in no later than Mon. 6 Sept. to assure that orders for meals will be filled. Dinner will include: Roast Beef, Mashed Potato with Brown Gravy,Calif. Mixed Veggies, Garden Salad, Roll,Fruit Pie dessert, Coffee, Tea, Lemonade or Water $15.50 per person / $31.00 per couple Tax and Tip included Farewell for President Herbert Mueller
A service of Celebration and Farewell for President Herbert Mueller will take place on Sunday, September 19, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Columbia, IL. For more information, call the district office at 618.234.4767. Rev. Matthew C. Harrison, executive director of LCMS World Relief and Human Care since 2001, is the new President-elect of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, and Rev. Herbert C. Mueller Jr. President of the Southern Illinois District, will serve as First Vice-President. Harrison was elected on the first ballot July 13 by delegates to the church body's 64th Regular Convention, meeting in Houston. He received 643 votes, or 54 percent — 593 votes were needed to win. Mueller was elected on the first ballot for first vice-president, receiving 631 votes, or 53 percent. Newly elected officers will be installed Sept. 11 at the Chapel at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Mueller, 57, of Waterloo, Ill., has served as President of the Synod's Southern Illinois District since 1994. He is a 1979 graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. He and his wife, Faith, have three children.
Scharr Is New District President Of SID
Rev. Timothy Scharr will be installed as President of the Southern Illinois District on Sunday, Aug. 29, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Nashville, Ill. Scharr is a 1984 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind. He has been the pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Nashville, since 2001. Pastor Scharr also served as the First Vice President of the Southern Illinois District. Before coming to Illinois, he served congregations in Iowa and Washington State. He and his wife, Kathy, are blessed with two daughters.
'Serve the Lord' by Roger Sprengel
Schools are back in session, congregational activities are increasing, and many of our district organizations will soon be in full swing. I would suggest that we take a look at the “theme” verse from Joshua 24:15 and model it as our theme, “Serve the Lord” for the upcoming year.
Theme for the ‘10-11 Year “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
Freedom of “Choice” We live in a period of time where individuals are able to freely choose certain actions regarding personal freedoms: what they like or dislike, how they feel, or an impulsive momentary response. Our lives are a continuing list of choices: menu selections, vacation destinations, schools to attend, brand names to purchase, and even choices to pay for the choices we make (cash, credit, debit, payment plans, etc.). We can virtually spend many hours making decisions based on specific choices we have to make each day!
Christian Freedom What does God expect of us concerning these “choices” we have to make in our lives? “…to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees…” Deut. 10:12-13 As Christians we have received freedom through Christ. “You were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” Gal. 5:13 “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.” 1 Peter 2:16
Servants Joshua indicates decisively that he is choosing to follow and serve the Lord, the God of Israel! The people respond “We will serve the Lord”! Joshua 24:21 We, too, have many opportunities to “serve the Lord” in our congregations, schools, and through the various Mission opportunities in our district. We in the church therefore need to be servant leaders – by modeling our attitudes and behaviors to create a culture of Christian servants! Servants seek to live a life of significance and purpose by developing and using their God-given gifts and abilities not only to achieve personal goals, but for the sake of the entire organization and its constituents.
How can I serve Him? So if we serve the Lord by serving others, how can we work together to live out this year’s theme? In the church during the past decade, the biggest example of serving others has been our youth groups and leaders! Servant events from local food pantries, to restoring the Gulf communities, to inner city projects, to outdoor camps, to foreign countries are samples of the impact of LCMS service projects. Parents, spouses, teachers, pastors, volunteers, and church leaders have access to thousands of prospective servants in our Southern Illinois District congregations. What local, national, or international event or project could you get involved with or engaged in? Family leaders, church leaders, and school leaders – plan a servant event for 2010-11 and lead by example for our young people! Show them how to “Serve the Lord”! Mentor a young member of the congregation (possibly a Confirmation student) and do a simple servant project as an individual activity. Or ask yourself the following questions in regard to opportunities for you and your “household” to serve the Lord: • What needs do our neighbors have? • How could we make a difference here? • What opportunities has the Lord opened up for us already? May the coming year be filled with opportunities for you and your house/family/church/school to “Serve the Lord”!
LHM International Ministries Partnerships Offer Potential for Sustained Mission
Through LHM’s International Ministries Partnerships program, congregations have an exciting opportunity to participate in the long-range development and growth of Gospel outreach in overseas communities. Lutheran Hour Ministries’ unique international outreach model mobilizes nationals--most of them volunteer laypersons--at ministry centers in more than 30 countries to share the salvation story of Jesus with people across their respective countries using methods that are most appropriate to their own cultures. Their work-whether it involves media broadcasting, Bible Correspondence Courses, drama, cell phone messaging, open-air video presentations from the back of trucks, or a variety of other strategies--often results in opportunities to refer people to local churches. Your congregation can be a part of the important and exciting work of one of these ministry centers. LHM’s International Ministries Partnerships program will connect you with a center and help you build a relationship, so that through a one-time gift, sustained support, a short-term mission service trip, or a combination of these, you can be involved in the center’s mission in whatever way suits your congregation best. To learn more, visit www.lhm.org/partner or email International Partnerships Manager Polly Gregali at polly.gregali@lhm.org
| |
|